Friday, December 11, 2009

Regular readers, if they exist, will know that I am no great fan of the current administration, so I feel duty-bound to give credit where it is due and welcome the reduction in duty on alcohol last Wednesday. From wine's perspective, it is a reversal of last year's disastrous increase, so it is back to square one. For beer and spirits, the change is more substantial.

Will it make any difference?

The amounts involved are not huge, but it is a step in the right direction and it might make people think twice, or at least look at the prices in the south before the 60 mile, 4 hour drive to Newry. From that point of view, it is a good thing.

We have reduced all our prices in the shop, even though all the stock we have (and it is a lot) was bought pre-budget at the higher excise rates. Nevertheless, it is important to be seen to pass on the change and we feel it is worthwhile to reduce prices now rather than later.

In general, I feel it is going to be a busy Christmas in the shop, despite the collapse in corporate business. 2009 has been pretty tough for everyone and I get the feeling that those left standing might feel like treating themselves a little. There's nothing like blind optimism to get you through the worst recession in living memory!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

I was at an amazing tasting and dinner last night, and I fear my notes don't really do justice to the wines tasted and eventually drunk. It was a World Class Pinot Noir tasting, 11 wines in all tasted blinded from decanters in the lovely surroundings of Ely CHQ, who looked after us exceptionally well as always.

After the tasting, we went through them and, while everyone had their favourites, their was a suprising amount of agreement about which ones were showing best.

Thankfully, my 2 declared favourites were wines no. 2 and 6. I can take some comfort from being able to recognise that a grand cru from a top grower in a fantastic vintage (Rousseau's Chambertin 02) is a wine I should like. It was also something of a relief that I liked the Felton Road, given that we are agents for this wine in Ireland and this particular wine was Red Wine of the Year in 2005. I wasn't able to say which one it was, but at least I liked it!

All in all, a fantatstic tasting.

We then had dinner and some more amazing wines followed - I didn't take notes as we were eating and I was getting enough slagging just for jotting down the names.

Wines, not necessarily in this order were as follows:

Pieropan La Rocca 2007 - excellentChambolle Musigny 1er Cru 2006, Mugnier - pure, v goodVosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Malconsorts 2005, de Montille - silky and sexy, surprisingly openFelton Road Block 3 2004 - blousier version of earlier wine, spoilt by being slightly fizzy!Chambertin Clos de Beze 1996, Rousseau - amazing -with typical 96 acidity, but fantasticVolnay 1er Cru "en Caillerets" 2006, Pousse d'Or - attractive, struggled after Clos de Beze- then some syrah, guess who insisted...St Joseph Cuvee Papy 2006, Montez - pure, silky, very nice drinkL'Ame Soeur 2006, Ogier - first bottle was off, second better, but still volatile after some time in the glass.Lastly a shiraz by Duval, can't remember which one.Taking out an Oz shiraz at the end of the night is like putting Tom Waits on at a party - it's a sign that the night is over. But what a night!